Car-door mechanism.



yPATENTE)JULYzg 1907. J. F. sTREIB. GAR nooR MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEI'ITOR frm v Allegheny county,

JOHN F. STREIB, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA, SSIGNOR lTO PREssED STEEL CARCOMPANY,

OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLYN1A,A CORPORATION OFNEWJERSEY.

lGAR-noon MEoHANIsM.

To all 'whom it may cancer'n f f Be it known that I, JOHN F. STREIB, ofAvalon, Pennsylvania, have invented a n ew and useful Car-DoorMechanism, of which the fol,n lowing is a-full, clear7 and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanyingrdrawings, forming-part of this specification, 'in which- Figure l is a plan View of apart of the bottom of' a car showing my improved door operatingmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section on the line II-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is anend elevation of the car showing the operating lever; and Fig. 5 is aside elevation. A

In the drawings 2 represents the center sill of the car, 3 is one of theside sills, and 4 is a door which is hinged to the car at 5 and isadapted to swingfroln the closed position' shown in full lines on Fig. 2to the open position which is showjn indotted lines.

I The operating mechanism comprisesshafts 6 which extend lengthwise ofthe car below the doors. Each shaft extends under the doors from one endof the car to the other on one side of the center sill. are provided atintermediate points with rollers 7, 8, of which the rollers 7 travelupon tracks 9 secured to plates 10 which depend from the bottom of thecal'.v

The tracks are inclined upwardly and outwardly from the center sill, andthe plates 10 are slotted as shown at 12 to receive the shaft and permitits movement. The rollers 8 are grooved peripherally and Contact withbars 11 on the doors. Each shaft 6 is connected with the side sill orother part of the car-framing by a suitable 'numberof chains 14 whichwhen the shaft is in itsoutermost position arewrapped up thereon, but asthe shaft is rolledV towards the center sill it uncoils the chains fromit\ and the lchains therefore preserve the shaft in parallel position.-1

The shaft 6 .is moved preferably by a lever 15 which is journaledloosely at the end of the shaft as shown in Fig. 4, and engages a.vratchet 16 on the shaft. The lever vis provided with a pawl 17, so thatby operating the lever, a step by step motion is' imparted to the shaftcausing it to roll from one end of the tracks 9 to the other. i i

Fig. 2 shows by 'full lines the door in its closed position. The shaftis then near the side sill and the chains 14 are wrapped around it. Thedoor then rests upon the rollers Sand is held thereby in its highest andA' closed position; the shaft is held by the lever 15 which is confinedby a. sitable locking device 18 and the rollers themselves are renderedstable in their position by forming the track with d pressions 9 inwhich the` Specication of Letterslatent. Application filed March 6,1905. Serial No. 248,491.

These shafts Patented .my 2,1907'.

rollers then rest. To open the door, the lever 15 is released from itslockedposition, the pawl detached.V from Vthe ratchet and the shaftcaused to travel down the inclined track, during which travel the doorresting on the rollers opens into the position shown by dotted lines,the chains unwinding as the shaft descends and holding the shaft androllers parallel.` To close the door the operator by means of the leverand ratchet causes the shaft to Ftravel up the tracks, winding thechains upon it'until finally it is brought into closed position.

The lmeclianism is very simple in its construction, it is easy tooperate and it holds the door with great security. The mechanism beingsimple it is not apt to get out of order with the rough usage to vwhichit is subjected during the operation of the car.

It will be noted that the chains and rollers are at all times covered bythe 4portions of the floor over the` slotted diaphragme. They aretherefore o ut of theway ot' the descending material when the 5 doorsare open.

Within the scope of my invention as defined in the claims, the parts maybe modified in many ways since WhatIclairn is:

1. In car door operating mechanism. a bottom door hinged at one edge;tracks supported, below the door and inclined upwnrdlyand outwardlyfromthe car center sill. a rolling shaft mounted 1o travel on saidtracks in Contact with tlie underside of the door, and guiding chainsfor said shaft all of which are attached thereto at one end and to a xedportion ot the cnr at their opposite ends; substan` tially as described.

2. In cnr door operating mechanism, a bottom door hinged atfits inneredge, tracks. supported below the door and inclined upwardlyandoutwardly from the longitudinal center of the car, a rolling shaftmounted to travel on Saidtracks and having rollers upon which the doorrests, ratchet and pnwl ineens for actuating the shaft, and guidingchains all of which are attachedto snid shaft nt one end and to the carat the opposite end, and adapted to wind upon and unwind from the shaft;substantially as described.

3. The combination with u downwardly and inwardly opening bottom door,having transverse bearing portions at its under side, of guide-ways ortracks supported below the car door and'inclined upwardly and outwardlyfrom a rolling shaft having.; rollers which tracks, and other rollerswhich engage the transverse bearing members on the door, and guidingchains for said shaft, each of which are attached by one of its ends tothe rolling shaft and by its opposite end to a fixed portion of the car;substantially ns described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set niy hand.

JOHN F. sTREiB.

